For My Fellow Teachers...

Twice in the last two weeks I have felt the need to come to the rescue of my profession.

I am a teacher.  I have been out of the classroom for nearly 4 years now, but I will always consider myself a teacher, just like a parent whose children have moved away will always consider herself a parent.   My experience is 13 years in my own classroom of 20 to 35 kids (not a type-o.) Before that I subbed in 3 different districts for a year.  Before that I was a classroom aide for 2 first grade teachers who shared me for a year.

Like other teachers I went through my Bachelor's Degree program, then my teaching credential program, which included Student Teaching.  I was doing this in the late 1990's when student teaching in your own classroom was acceptable using an "emergency credential" while you finished up your studies.  From 1996-1999 I would teach all day then drive to the university 2-3 days a week and be in class until 10pm.  On the days I didn't have class I worked on homework, sometimes for hours, after school, along with the after-hours paperwork that every teacher must do. Then up the next morning at 5am and back to school with my kids.  (No Child Left Behind has now eliminated emergency credentials.)

I've taught Kindergarten, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade.
 
I taught in 2 different inner city neighborhoods which are gang-ridden.  Many of my students have had family members in prison.  The majority came from single parent homes.  99.9% of them were on the free lunch program.  Many of their parents were illiterate and/or undocumented.

And I loved my kids.  All (roughly) 450 kids who I have taught over the years.

I spent hundreds of dollars out of my own pocket on mini field trips, incentives, party items, classroom supplies, and the majority of my class library. (Even though I don't have kids of my own, I've kept the books that mean the most to me.)

My hours were rarely from 8:00am to 2:30pm. Several unpaid hours were used doing report cards, organizing end-of-year files, grading papers, mentoring/tutoring students, having on-the-spot parent conferences, redecorating the room for a holiday or to showcase new student work, and preparing the room for Back to School Night or Open House (automatic 12-13 hour days.) 

Beyond my basic job description, I was also a nurse, counselor, advocate, policeman, chauffeur, and mother to my students.

Frequently I had to play detective when someone would steal something from someone else, be it a jacket, cell phone, snack, book or toy.  It was up to me to follow the clues, read the expression of the accused and decide who was telling the truth.   Then I had to decide the course of action once the item turned up.

My days were always planned ahead of time, but rarely went as planned due to the kid who threw up, the kid who wet his pants, the kid whose mom showed up unannounced with a birthday cake, the kid who had to leave early, an earthquake drill, fire drill, neighborhood police lockdown (which could last up to 2 hours after school dismissal,) mid-day teacher training, emergency meeting, and a host of other reasons.

I have spent, literally, hundreds of hours in teacher trainings and meetings.  They could be grade-level meetings, literacy coach meetings, with publishers trying to sell new textbook programs, learning new technology with Smart Boards and computerized report cards (OK those were cool,) ideas on teaching kids reading in small groups, ideas on teaching kids reading in a whole group (the states can never make up their minds,) drug education programs, social interaction programs, new grading systems (remember the 1, 2, 3, 4 system where 4 was an "A?,) and many, many others.

Were we ever given paid time to work in our classrooms on those training days?  Rarely, and only if the presentation let out early.

Out of my 13 years of teaching, I think I had an aide (only in the mornings) for 4 of those years.  Great aides, too.  BUT, when the office had extra filing to be done, or help was needed preparing testing materials...bye, bye aide.  They were called away and we couldn't do anything about it. At one of my schools I was lucky to get my aide 2 or 3 days a week, and that was in an active kindergarten class.

I've had kids with ADHD, drug babies, foster kids, kids abandoned by one or both parents, and kids who have been physically and/or sexually abused.

Anytime one of my kids needed to speak privately with me, I listened.  Whether they were being bullied, upset because their parents were arrested, feeling ignored at home, had hurt feelings, feeling left out with the other students, etc....I listened.  My goal was always to make the classroom feel like a safe place for the children and for them to have at least one adult that they could depend on consistently.

I say these things not to brag or complain.  I say them because THIS IS WHAT TEACHERS DO.  Pretty much all of them. (I'm making an allowance for the "lemons," because they exist in every profession.)

So here are some things to remember the next time you feel the need to criticize a teacher:
As a whole...

• Teachers will usually refer to their students as "my kids," not "my students" because when you have them 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, 180 days a year they really do feel like your kids.
• Teachers do not have "picking on your child" on their agenda.
• Teachers are not out to "break" children's spirits.
• Teachers rarely have administrative support.
• Teachers are often blamed for test scores (speaking as someone who taught in a low-literacy district, yet if I had moved to the wealthy district 7 miles away with great scores I would've been praised.  Hmm...)
• Being in a classroom for an hour as a volunteer or counselor does not give a person the full picture of the dynamics of that classroom.
• Classroom management and discipline must come first if anything is to be accomplished, yet teachers have very few options on the kinds of consequences allowed...and those options are dwindling.  Still, most teachers are about positive discipline, using incentives, not punishment.  Unfortunately, some behavior warrants consequences.  Trust me, it is rarely a teacher's first choice.
• As important as classroom management is, there is no class for it when studying for a teaching credential.  Something that baffles us all.  It is a trial-and-error process.  When teachers need ideas and support in managing a classroom's discipline, incentives, etc., their best resource is talking to other teachers.
• Teachers wish they had the freedom to be as creative as they want to be--state mandates make us feel that creative endeavors like music and art are a waste of time--but we do them anyway because we know their value...still with a twinge of guilt.
• Teachers do not leave the classroom mentally just because they leave school for the day--I would spend hours in the afternoon and evening at home thinking about certain struggling kids and how I could improve the school experience for them.
• Many teachers spend years taking classes after school and on weekends to finish their Masters and Doctorate--any extra school credits helps the paycheck.
• Teachers do not hate the idea of home-schooling or feel that it is taking our jobs away--I actually find home-schooling quite fascinating--but a home-school parent is not a classroom teacher... and vice versa.  One is not better than the other, but the roles and experiences are very different.
• Teachers do take responsibility, we are human, we're not perfect, even though everyone expects us to be.

So please.  Don't presume that you know what a teacher is going though.  Unless you've been in the profession, you have no idea.  

My fellow teachers, who I respect SO much...this is for you.

UPDATE: January 31, 2014
I have received an overwhelming amount of positive responses to this post from multiple sources over the past few days.  Much more than I expected or intended.  Thank you.

Teaching is a profession that involves a lot of emotion.  You have parents who dearly love their children--as only a parent can--want to protect them, and want them to succeed. And you have teachers who become very invested in their students, also want them to succeed, and have daily pressures while trying to maintain a calm consistency in the classroom.  Sometimes parents and teachers see eye-to-eye and sometimes they do not (discussions are so much more productive when they do.) The important thing to remember is that everyone's goal is ultimately the same--to help our kids become good, productive members of society. If we focus on that common goal, everyone wins.

Thank you again for the great feedback, everyone.

The Family Who Waits for You...

Recently I have had renewed appreciation for my church family.  Moving to a new state where you have no family can be, and was, daunting, but now I hardly think about that fact.  Not working outside the home and not having children could have really limited me in my socializing opportunities, but my church family gives me more than enough.

It's funny, because a few years ago I probably would not have said that.  But then, a few years ago I was living near my actual family and had coworkers.

I think the reason I've been thinking about this is because, not only do I know the benefits of having spirituality and a church family in my life, but I've also recently observed others who do not. I've seen examples of loneliness, bitterness, and anger. A spiritually devoid life has been the common denominator.

What I love about having a church family is not that anyone is perfect, because we are not, but that we are a bunch of imperfect people trying a little harder.  Instead of sports and shopping and housework, my church family is dedicating one day a week to honoring the Lord by going to church and the rest of the week by living what they learned on Sunday the best they can.

Like I said, we are imperfect.  But I love that there is an atmosphere of love and concern.

Having a church family means giving back sometimes too.  Sometimes it means giving back a lot.  But it is a blessing with many more rewards than sacrifices.

If you are feeling sad, lonely, forgotten, or depressed, I highly recommend seeking out a church family of your own.  If you're LDS, as I am, this means becoming reacquainted with your local ward.  If you are of another faith or not of any faith, this means some other legwork (and prayer, and maybe even visiting a few places until you are comfortable.) One of the great things about an LDS church family is that you meet at the same time each week and, therefore, see the same people.

I think the Lord rejoices when He sees us reach out to each other in a church setting.  We can be answers to others' prayers as well as receive our own answers.  It is amazing how our problems seem less when we are serving others.

Thank you to my church family.  You have blessed my life.

Realistic Resolutions...

It hardly seems possible that 2014 is only 2 days away.  I look at the hat above and it reminds me of the leftover party favors from the parties my grandparents would host at their house on New Year's Eve.  They would often give a few favors to my brother and me and take us to Victory Park in Pasadena to look at the Rose Parade floats.  We did that several times.

The last few years I've either gone to the parade or watched it at home, but not so much now that I'm living in the Pacific Northwest. Although my hubby did get to see the parade in person on 1/1/12.  We even visited the floats on New Year's Eve day.

And how about those resolutions?  Losing 50 lbs? Not eating chocolate?  I don't go for those types of resolutions so much.

What about being a little kinder?  Showing more compassion towards others?  Being more patient?  I know what I need to work on.

As you think about the new year and changes you want to make, I challenge you (and all of us) to make them realistic and stick with them.  Let's all do our part to make the world a little better in 2014.

Happy New Year to all.

Merry (Belated) Christmas

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. We celebrated with my husband's parents, nephew, niece, and her little one on Christmas Eve.  Here is our table...

We had a nice dinner of ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and rolls, with Martinelli's to drink and chocolate chip cake and vanilla ice cream for dessert.  My hubby was a great help, and there are leftovers to last us for days.

After dinner we opened presents, which had to go quickly because the 18 month old was getting restless.

On Christmas Day Eric and I had a nice breakfast with sausage, our special breakfast treat, and opened a few more gifts between the two of us.  I ended up with some gift cards, new towels, pajamas, chocolate, 2 sessions of facials and massages, and a safety tool for the car.  Oh yes...and the collector's edition of Duck Dynasty, which I had never watched before in my life!  It's pretty entertaining.  ("Happy, happy, happy!" --Phil)

Later in the day we went to visit Eric's parents at their house for an hour or so and then came home and watched Elf for the first time.  That was fun. 

All in all a fun, happy Christmas.

Christmas Eve Readiness...or not so ready

The presents are purchased and wrapped, the holiday food is bought, the Christmas linens are out. The names are updated on the place cards, the poppers are bought, the napkins are folded. 

What a busy week!

Today I was in high anxiety mode, where it feels like the universe is against you moving efficiently and you're not sure why. So most of my tasks were done at the end of the day. Leftovers for dinner turned into a burger for Eric and leftover salmon and salad for me.  After dinner I was still in a weird, caffeinated frenzy, even though I wasn't caffeinated.

I knew I had to go back out "there." At this time of year, "there" is anywhere that isn't home, where the crowds are driving to the same places and descending on the same sections of the stores.  I had one more grocery trip to make.

Go after dinner? Or go tomorrow (the Saturday before Christmas...?)

Command decision. Go after dinner. I told myself I didn't want to be gone more than 45 minutes and I made it!

The goal? No more grocery trips until after Christmas. And no more spending!

Can I make it?

Festival of the Nativities

Tonight Eric and I went to the local Festival of the Nativities that our stake is having this weekend.  This is only the second year and it looks amazing. Over 700 nativities were on display, including a live nativity with some very still, very hard-working people.

I tend to gravitate towards the more traditional-looking nativities, especially the simpler ones, the ones that have wonderful faces or sometimes, no faces.  Here are some of my favorites:

Made out of paper...

I love this one and its unique shapes.

One of my favorites. So simple, yet lifelike...

I love the faces in this one.

I have a special affinity for the Lladros.

Another Lladro.

Very unique. Almost like an ice sculpture.

Another favorite--and very large.

Russian nesting dolls.

The live nativity.

Another simple one that conveys so much.

In the lobby, another beautiful one.

Simplifying Christmas

Somewhere between selling the CA house and us buying the Little Chalet RV, I decided to scale down on Christmas a bit this year.  In 2010, we had 3 Christmas trees throughout the house. In 2012 we had 2. Now most of the lights on the 6 year-old pre-lit living room tree have died and the smaller, white, family room tree has been promoted. (A great tree because it is so easy to put together and the lights have all worked consistently for 3 years now.)

Downstairs it was in red and gold. Upstairs it is in red and silver.  And, thanks to Dollar Tree, I was able to find the perfect tree skirt to match the colors for only $1. Nice...

I also scaled down on the big nativity from Mexico, inherited from my grandparents.  After rearranging Christmas items into a different closet a few months ago, the beautiful creche built by my grandpa and painted by my grandma is now wedged between the closet door and a beam (bad planning on my part.) Freeing it involves moving my piano, which I just didn't feel like doing this time.  Obviously I need to move it and store it somewhere else...eventually.

So the Mexican nativity is being displayed "creche-less" this year.  I still think it looks pretty, just a little simpler.  Interestingly, when I was unwrapping each piece from the tissue paper, I noticed that Baby Jesus was bought in Portugal, not Mexico.  (My grandparents did travel to Portugal.) What happened to the original little Mexican Baby Jesus?

As usual, decorating took 2 days. One day for the decorations and one day for the tree. I like to pace myself.  The good thing about finally putting everything into those big Rubbermaid storage containers is that all of the non-Christmas stuff can go in there too.

Here's our simple little fireplace:

Rudolf is one of my many boutique finds, the reindeer family is from my paternal grandma, and the Santa spray was a Secret Santa gift at my last school. And our 2 little stockings, purely for looks!

Ramius likes the way everything turned out:

"Nice decorations.  I can't wait to rip them all apart."

Thankfully, he only batted at a couple of ornaments and ripped off a few pieces of the fake holly on the centerpiece. It is his 5th Christmas, after all--time to mature a little.  (His 4th in Washington!  He's a true Washington kitty.)

Eric is grateful that I suggested no outside lights this year.  As much as I love Christmas lights, I could sense the dread he was having to put them up, so we're taking the year off.  Last year he ran back and forth to Target 2-3 times in one day getting the right amount of the same lights, so he deserves a break.

I also decided on minimal Christmas cards. Last year at this time there was a huge bunch, stamped and mailed, containing a lovely card and a Christmas letter. This year will be e-cards and emailed letters, with the exception of immediate family.

I love Christmas, everything about it--the decorations, the lights, the music, atmosphere (aside from the shopping frenzy, which I try to avoid.) The house is definitely ready for the season, just a little less than usual.  I guess that is my gift to me. 

The Comparison Game...Just STOP IT

Oh, the Comparison Game. Why oh why do we do this?

I must admit, I'm usually pretty good about not doing it, but when I do I drive myself nuts.

For anyone who has been to my book review blog you've probably seen that I've added a lot of reviews lately in a very short amount of time.  It wasn't planned, it just happened.  I finished a book and reviewed it, I needed to finish another one in a short time because it was due to the library and reviewed it, I fell in love with a new series for young people and read the first 2 books in 2 days and reviewed them. Four reviews in about 5 days.  That's a lot for me.

But not for other people. I checked in on Goodreads and found myself reading a review by a girl in the UK who has her own book review site (there are a lot of them out there.) So I went to check it out.  Holy Moly. This site is high tech.  She's got a fancy blog design, tons of followers and comments, and even gets sent free books from publishers to read and review on her site.

Cue the depressing trumpet sound...wah WAH.

I will admit that I did get some useful ideas for my humble little site, such as organizing the reviews by author and title to make them more accessible for new visitors, but then I had to give myself a little head slap. And a little pep talk.

"Why do I blog?" I asked myself?

And I answered, "To write about things I care about, when I care about them. To share experiences and how I feel about them. To have my own little corner that I can decorate, change, update, make colorful or plain, vent, brag, share, on my own timeline without caring what anyone else thinks."

There's a certain freedom in that. And freedom equals joy.

And what takes away from joy?  Playing the dreaded Comparison Game.

So I looked at Miss UK's site in a new way.  Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful site, and sour grapes is not a productive way to escape the Comparison Game.  But what I did do is look at it through the "Kristie filter."  I looked at aspects of it that are not me, not things I would've chosen to do with it. For one thing, keeping my site simple, as I've done, gives me the freedom to add to it when I want and not feel pressured to read a book a week or be on any kind of schedule.  It's a hobby, not a job, and that is one of the things that makes it fun for me.

The Comparison Game...very dangerous, no matter where you apply it.

In preparing for this post I came upon another blog, again, very impressive, called Chasing Happy.  The girl who owns it has also had her battles with the Comparison Game.  This is what she writes:

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Today, let's decide to stop comparing. I am me, and you are you. No one else can do you better than you. And besides, we don't know the whole story on the women we're comparing ourselves to. What's behind the scenes could make a world of difference. So enjoy who and where you are... and just. be. happy.

I love that...Comparison is the thief of joy.

No more comparing.  I'm opting for joy.

Creating Makes Me Happy!

The Reader, by Mary Cassatt

When you live in the Pacific Northwest and the weather beings to turn, as it is now, you have to enjoy indoor activities.  For me, that is reading.  When I joined, and then coordinated, the local book club it was a great way to jump into reading for pleasure.  While I was teaching I just didn't have the energy during the school year.  Reading 2-3 books over the summer was an accomplishment.

But now, I'm averaging around 15-20 books a year.  In my opinion, that is awesome.

Not only do I love to read, but I also love to write, but, alas, I'm not really a storyteller (unless I'm blogging.)  Settings, characters, and, especially, plots elude me. When I read books by someone such as Fannie Flagg with her full-bodied characters I sigh and wish I could write like that.  So far it hasn't happened.  But I can write about what others write, and that concept helped give birth to my book review blog Read. Reflect. Review. nearly 2 years ago.

What a joy it has been to have that blog.  It gives my reading purpose beyond personal enjoyment.  And, even though I'm not one to count "hits" and "likes," it has been flattering to get at least 1-2 followers after each new post goes up.

Today was a milestone on that blog. I put up my 40th post. So I decided to mark the occasion by adding 2 new sections:  a list of books by author's last name, and an alphabetized list of the books on the site. I think it makes the site easier to navigate.

We all need a hobby of some sort--something that we can do for pure pleasure and without any outside pressure.  For me it is reading and maintaining my 2 blogs.  They bring me extreme joy and a sense of satisfaction in the creativity that goes into how they look and what they express.

The comments and feedback I get on both sites (usually in person or on Facebook) means a lot, but I assure you that I would continue to blog anyway . Creating makes me happy.

I invite you to continue to visit here at Keeping Up With Kristie and my book review blog as we soon move into the new year. Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Gatherings: They are what you make of them

When I was a kid and the holidays rolled around, I never considered that those big family gatherings wouldn't last forever.  I was in the moment, as kids usually are, enjoying my turkey and pie, playing with my cousins, and getting squeezed a little too tightly by that lovable aunt that seems to be in every family.

I wouldn't say I took those years for granted, but I know I could not have appreciated them as much at the time because I had never known anything different. But the kids grow up and the older generations age to the point where you know that a certain era is coming to an end.

In my family, my first real change at the holidays came during my freshman year at BYU.  I am the oldest grandchild, therefore the first to leave the nest.  In an effort to save money, my mom and I decided I would stay in Utah over Thanksgiving break.  One of my friends invited me to her family Thanksgiving.  I don't remember much more than the fact that I was pretty miserable, and I don't think I hid it very well.  My friend's family was perfectly nice and welcoming, but they weren't my family.

That was the last time I missed Thanksgiving in California while I was at school.  Somehow, financially, we made it work.

As time went on, we saw other changes. Cousins joined the military, got married, and moved away, My grandparents declined more and more as they reached their eighties and nineties.

Once my grandparents passed away, Thanksgiving, as well as Christmas, seemed to be in flux, as there was no "Grandma's House" to go to.

When I moved to Washington in 2010, I had only lived here for 2 months when Thanksgiving rolled around and my hubby had to work day shift.  He was a trooper, through, trudging in tired after a 12 hour shift, showering and dressing nice as we sat down at the dining room table.  We ate a little chicken with stuffing and used our beautiful wedding china for the first time.  It was small and simple, and it was fine.

This year, our 4th Thanksgiving together, we are doing small and simple again.  Unlike Year 1 when Hubby came in from 12 hours of day shift. this year he will heading out after we eat to 12 hours of graveyard. Small and simple, again OK.

So tonight I put the Thanksgiving ham into the oven, glazed it the last half hour, sliced it up and put it in the fridge.  Organic russets-- boiled, mashed, and mixed with sour cream and butter--are done and ready to be eaten.  Tomorrow, somewhere around 3pm, we will have our little 2-person Thanksgiving dinner. The menu:  ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, salad, and rolls, with pumpkin pie for dessert.

I've been to enough very large holiday dinners to carry me for years.  It isn't about quantity, it is about quality.  We are blessed to have plenty of quality.

So whether you are dining with family or friends, in a big group or a small one, have a wonderful day tomorrow.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God hath done 

Tita's Magic Pot

I was doing dishes tonight, washing this pot for the umpteenth time, and reflecting on its magical properties.

This is Tita's Magic Pot.

Tita was my grandmother, Lucy, who died at age 90 in 2008, and a genius in the kitchen.  Her Mexican rice is the stuff of legends.  Her potato salad is unequaled.  Leftovers turned into mini gourmet dinners full of flavor. Once in a while I would visit specifically at dinnertime (always 6:30pm) just so I could get invited to stay.  Shameless, but, oh so worth it!

This particular pot is the biggest part of a set that was broken up after Tita passed away.  It is the pot that held mass quantities of her Mexican rice and potato salad to family gatherings.  It always went home empty.

You would think that after what was made and housed in this pot I would feel intimidated, but I don't.  Competing with my grandma's cooking is pointless.  I'm a recipe and practice-makes-perfect type of person.  She was a dash-of-this-tad-of-that, risk-taking, cook from memory type person. 

But there is still a bit of her kitchen magic left behind in that pot.

I get a certain confidence and bravado when I use it, which is often.  And, for whatever reason, anything I make in it turns out great, even at the first attempt.  Homemade chicken soup, albondigas (Mexican meatballs,) mashed potatoes, pulled pork, and any kind of pasta emerge from the pot flavored with an inexplicable pixie dust that spells success.

Despite my efforts, other pots and pans in my kitchen do not have the same results.  Water boiling over, bad experimentation, soggy Mexican rice--those things happen in the others.  But not in the Magic Pot.

There is something to be said for meaningful things that are passed down to us.  I've inherited furniture, a nativity, and a Lladro from my grandparents, as well as paintings my grandma painted herself (really beautiful and worthy of another post.) But unlike those things, the Magic Pot continues to be used and produce home-cooked food that we enjoy.  I think of Tita (and Tito too) every time I use it, and memories flood back of their kitchen and the wonderful smells that wafted through it.

Anything that can do that truly is magical.

Our Little Winnebago Chalet! Pt. 2

Shakedown trip!

Where to go?  Eric has been on vacation, but much of it was eaten up with me being in California and getting the Little Chalet outfitted for the road.  We decided to stay local and practical and go to an RV park only 20 miles away on the bank of the Columbia River.  I would drive separately in my car--just in case.  No rain was in the forecast, although the temperatures would be chilly! 

One little hiccup, we were waiting for an online delivery to arrive and couldn't leave until it did. Tracking the package kept us on pins and needles as we watched Thursday start to slip away.  We were determined to make this a 2-nighter and not let something as ridiculous as a delivery spoil our plans.

At 3:15pm, it arrived.  Finally!  And throughout the day we had packed and gone through our checklist to be ready to leave as soon as possible.

We got into the park at 4:20pm, drove to our space, and Eric had his first experience hooking us up.  And we learned our first lesson:  1. Some parks have hookups on either side of the space and you can use whichever one you want.  This came in handy for us.  It also helped us to advise a couple who pulled in 2 spaces away yesterday morning and had the same question.

Click on the photos to see them full-sized

Here's one of the first photos I took upon arrival.  That's our Little Chalet on the right with my Honda next to it.  We were one of two Class C RVs at the time.  The rest of the park were trailers, a lot of 5th wheels, and about 4 gorgeous Class As, including the 2 to our left.

One thing with being in a motor home as opposed to a hotel--you can't just drop your bags and go play.  There is work to do, inside and out.  I checked us in and got wifi codes (yes, we roughed it,) Eric handled the hookups, and then I set up things in the kitchen and bathroom (soaps, towels, etc.) We were definitely one of the smaller rigs there and joked about being the new riff-raff in town!

Something else we learned:  2.  It's good to have a shopping area nearby--just in case.  Well, at least when you are greenhorns, like us.  Yes, in less than an hour we were back in my car and driving to the local WalMart.  We discovered that for privacy and trapping the heat in the living area, we needed something to separate that area from the cab.  (The fancy Class A RVs have curtain rods that go all around the front windows.  We aren't that fancy in our little Class C.)  We got a tension curtain rod and a gray, nondescript curtain. Getting back to the RV park, we discovered that we should've bought TWO curtains, and knew that another WalMart trip would be in order the next day.

It was time for dinner.  We had planned out every meal ahead of time and the key word was SIMPLE. Hot dogs and chips for dinner.  Easy enough.  And we were experimenting with some plates and bowls we bought specifically for the RV.  (Brilliantly, none of them were microwavable.) Eric set up his laptop and, since the wifi rules were pretty strict and the connection not that great, we just watched a Friends DVD on his computer as we relaxed over dinner.

After dinner I learned something else:  3.  Our RV's water heater makes the sink water boiling hot! Yes, I learned that the hard way and didn't repeat the mistake of turning on the hot water first ever again.

By this time it was dark and very cold outside.  But at the pace we'd been going we weren't quite ready to take off our shoes and stay inside.  So we put on our jackets and gloves and took a lap around the park.  Most, but not all of the RVs and trailers looked occupied, and we marveled at the sizes of many, the sideouts, and decided that, while they looked very pretty luxurious, they were completely unnecessary for our needs.

Back inside, we watched a bit more Friends and then went to bed early.  Of course that doesn't mean going to sleep early.  It's an adjustment sleeping in a little motor home on the first night.  And I learned something else:  4. Make sure you completely empty your "personal tank" before curling up in the bed above the cab.  Yes, I slept in the top bunk and Eric slept on the fold-out sofa.  None of the beds are really conducive to fit both of us.  We used our high-tech zero-degree sleeping bags and some blankets.  Whenever I travel I always sleep terribly the first night, and this was no different.  So I read my current book and rested the best I could.  We used both the RV heater and a box heater we had bought to stay warm.  Despite the heaters, I ended up sleeping in the coldest spot, but stayed toasty under the covers, even if I did keep banging my hand on the ceiling, 

The next morning we awoke to a TON of condensation on the inside of the RV.  5. Ceiling vents really are important!  We learned that the hard way, and Eric did a 7:30am WalMart run for a squeegee.  Drippy water was everywhere.  Something we needed to address in the future. (In my naivetee, I always thought the ceiling vents were just for ventilation, not a necessity.)

But look at the view outside that morning!

Just extra proof that we really did make it outside of our driveway.

Then, time for breakfast!

I promise it tasted better than it looks.  Just out of curiosity we tried one of the Mountain House freeze-dried breakfast items.  It wasn't bad!  (Tortillas would've been a great addition.)  All I had to do was boil water, so it was very easy.  We've tried the Mountain House Beef Stew and that was good too.

The picture above is inside after the first night.  All the bedding is nicely stored up top.  You can see how one curtain wasn't sufficient.  And that nice slant of our table?  Something else we (meaning Eric) is going to fix down the road.  That after-market table leg is a wee bit too tall.

Then it was time to shower.  I got to be the lab rat with the RV shower.  That thing is teeny tiny!!  There is barely enough room to do the basics, but I did.  Eric used the camp shower.  I also discovered upon cleaning the inside last Wednesday that the shower curtain had a 5 foot vertical rip in it.  Something else we didn't look at while at the lot.  Out came the duct tape. 

Next door to us was a very nice couple in a 34 foot Class A Winnebago.  We talked to the wife, Sue, who was out walking her dog.  She and her husband had started out with a 31 foot Class C and so we showed her the inside of ours.  Then we saw the inside of their RV and met her husband, Larry.  Such nice people!  We chatted for about an hour and Larry even gave Eric a roll of automotive paper towels for the next time we encounter the condensation issue and checked our sewer hookup when Eric had a question.  They were very hospitable and helpful. (They had bought theirs used--a 2006--after the first owner put only 1500 miles on it, backed into something, and was scared to drive it ever again.  1500 miles!)

And then, another field trip (the last one) to WalMart again.  This time to get a second curtain, more automotive paper towels, and some moisture absorbers.  And, what the heck, we decided to get lunch at Subway.

The day was flying! We ate in the RV and then Eric wanted to check some outdoor leaks he'd noticed.  It was already around 3pm.

A while later we went out for another walk.  It was cold, but pretty!

A big cargo ship and the wake it left behind...

Then, because it seemed like a prerequisite, we watched the Robin William's movie RV on the laptop.  The park had movies for borrowing.  What a silly, funny film, and the perfect movie in the context of where we were.  We howled with laughter, sitting on the sofa, wrapped in blankets in our Little Chalet.

Night 2--we both slept a lot better after more of a piecemeal type dinner.  Snacks (beef jerky and a Milky Way Dark) for me, summer sausage/cheese/Ritz/honey mustard for Eric.

Like the night before, the temp got down to about 21 degrees, this time freezing the little brass elbow that we had our freshwater hose connected to.  Result?  No water this morning!  Eventually it thawed and wasn't too big of an issue, but we do see the need to insulate the hose if we're going to camp this time of year.

I made scrambled eggs for breakfast (real, organic eggs) which we ate with some yummy purple organic grapes.  Then, after doing the dishes, I went to take more pictures outside.

That's us on the right, with my car backed into the sunlight to thaw the ice on the windshield.  Another Class C had moved in next door late last night.  All 3 husbands were outside working on hookups, etc at the same time.

The 3 Class C motor homes from the front. Ours is on the left.  The couple on the far right was on their first RV trip too.  They bought theirs around the same time as we got ours.  The middle one is a rental.

All in all, we had a really fun time.  Yes, you bump into each other more than in a hotel room.  Yes, there's more work, but it is still fun to be in your own self-contained space that you can arrange any way you want and drive anywhere you want.

This park had a lot of rules, but it was a very nice park with a great view.  Rules are fine if they are within reason, which these were.  (Mostly they were regarding liability issues--fires, pets, kids and the pool, and sewer fittings.)  They obviously try to maintain a high standard, which I fully support, and we aren't the rule breaker sort anyway. I do like that the park has a "quiet time" from 10pm to 8am.

We would definitely go there again! We learned a lot and laughed at our few bumblings.  Overall we think we did really well and look forward to going out again.  Maybe one more cold weather trip before we store the Little Chalet, depending on the rain forecast.  It's just too bad that we have to kennel Bailey for these trips, but there is no space for him in the Chalet.

Another lovely view of the river.

The first thing I did after we got home and unpacked?  I typed up our checklists!  These are going to be invaluable for the future.  I got some help from an app I found and modified the lists for our needs.

So we are motorhomeys now!  This is going to be fun. 

Our Little Winnebago Chalet! Pt. 1

We have embarked on a new adventure and subculture.  We're RV owners now!

While in the middle of another project, the idea of purchasing a used trailer, and then a mini motor home began to evolve.  I poured over online sites for hours looking for a small RV with a decent floor plan in a comfortable price range.

Finally, I came upon this little guy in Vancouver. A 1995 Yellowstone.

No, we didn't buy it.  It felt dingy, not as cute as the photo, and we felt like we were in someone else's space.  But a new arrival on the lot was this:

A 2001 Winnebago Chalet.  22 feet. Love at first sight.  Isn't it cute? Obviously, because it was newer, we paid a little more, but still comparatively less than we would have somewhere else.

Here's the inside:

Pretty clean for being 12 years old, and we really liked the kitchen area in the back and the fold out sofa bed.  The first one had a small queen-sized bed wedged in a back left corner.  And it is always a bed.  The Chalet has no wasted space day and night.

The next day I was on a plane to California to see my family and Eric was sealing the deal. A few days later the lot owner drove it up to us and Eric texted me this picture of the Chalet in our driveway.  It didn't look small anymore!

So we've done some fancy footwork moving the cars around for the last couple of weeks.

We had a motor home!  Now what?  Eric and I knew nothing...nothing...about motor homes, but we were determined to learn.  While in California, I read 4 books:  RVing Basics, RV Tips, The Tiniest Mansion, and How to Live in Your Car, Van or RV.  The last two were just out of curiosity.  We are not moving out of our house in the near future.  Eric read the first book, our RV's owner's manual, and watched a lot of YouTube videos.  (The RV Geeks YouTube channel has some great stuff for beginners like us.)

We were determined to make a go of this.  Knowledge is power!

While I was gone, Eric also did some local reconnaissance.  It turns out that the nearest RV shop is owned by a couple our age and they are very knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge.  Eric even graduated high school with the wife!  We brought in the Chalet (we call it that, but we rhyme it with "shallot," just for fun) and they gave it the once over.  There were condition issues and we had definitely let the stars in our eyes make us overlook a few things.  What do we know? 

So they kept it for 2 days and fixed what they found.  Then Eric and I went over and the husband gave us a 2 hour tutorial of everything, inside and out.  That was helpful!  And it was helpful to have some educated questions after having done a lot of reading the previous week.

This is last Wednesday.  We brought it home, did "musical cars" again, and Eric ran some errands for some RV essentials while I cleaned the inside.  The place we bought it at in Vancouver?  Well, the people were nice, but there wasn't a lot of attention to detail.  They said they cleaned it, but we think they only shampooed the upholstery and didn't do anything else.  We probably wouldn't recommend that place after learning more, but we do know enough to know that used little Winnebagos are in high demand and low supply, so we are still very happy with the way things turned out.

After getting the Little Chalet back from the local RV doctor, it was time to take it on the road for a shakedown trip! (Term meaning your first trip where you put all of your knowledge to use and determine what you still don't know.)

Pt. 2 talks about our first trip!

Michael Buble Concert!!

OK, I should be writing about my trip to California last week to see my family, but I am still jazzed about this amazing concert we went to last night at the Rose Garden in Portland (now called the "Moda Center..." what a terrible name change!)

Eric and I saw Michael Buble' and we had SO... MUCH... FUN!

We did the whole premium parking/dinner package/good seats thing and have been hanging onto our tickets since buying them in June.  Think of all we've done since June!

The dinner was "meh," but we were seated with a really nice couple who we chatted with the entire time.  The lady couldn't get over how much Eric looked and acted her her own son, also named Eric!

The opening act was really good!  Opening acts are always a gamble.  It was an a capella group called Naturally 7th.  Really excellent and great at getting the crowd excited.

At 9pm it was time for BUBBLE!  (Our nickname.)  The curtain parted, fiery graphics appeared on the screen, REAL fire jetted upwards from the front of the stage, and Michael appeared at the top of a ramp, which he slid down as he started singing "Fever."  The opening of the show was great, he is really funny and plays to the crowd.

I saw him in 2005 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and that concert, while good, was not nearly as good as last night.  He was too goofy and it affected his singing.  He's kind of a naturally goofy guy anyway, and incredibly witty, but he has really refined his concert skills in these last 8 years.  And you can tell he has matured as a person and is very grounded.  Marriage and parenthood will do that to a person!

The whole show was just about FUN, FUN, FUN.  I was so impressed with the stage graphics too.  But me telling it doesn't do it justice at all!  I'm going to post some pictures and try (hoping and praying) that Blogger will let me post videos.  I haven't posted without going through YouTube first.  Fingers crossed.

All in all, if Michael is playing in your area...GO SEE HIM.  You will have an awesome time. It's a show for all ages, which were totally represented in the audience last night.

Click on these pictures to see them even bigger.  I would not recommend going full-sized on the videos below.  It will mess with the quality.

Lights, colors, music!!

We were very close to the secondary stage, where he spent a little bit of time during the show's second half.  The crowd loved him!

OK, videos...please work!

Review: America Revealed

If you know me well, you know I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge and that I'm always reading, hopping around on Wikipedia, or watching documentaries.  So here is one I want to share on PBS (or Amazon streaming, where I discovered it) called America Revealed.  It looks at our country in an entirely new way, through its systems and networks.

I was hooked after the first of the four episodes, which focused on food manufacturing and distribution.  And yes, it does look at the good (organic,) the bad (GMOs,) and the ugly (inside a beef processing plant.)  But it doesn't offer opinions on the political side, which I liked.  You are left to draw you own conclusions. (GMOs bad, organic good.)

Hosted by Yul Kwon, an attorney and former Survivor: Cook Islands winner, the average American viewer is taken "backstage" to places, companies, and factories that we would normally never see.  The four episodes focus, respectively, on farming and food distribution, transportation, the power grid, and American manufacturing.  Every episode was an eye-opener, sharing a lot of information that the mainstream media does not.

I don't plug things on my blog unless they are worth your time, and this series definitively qualifies. What makes it interesting is that it forces us to get out of our bubble and reminds us that at the heart of all of these coordinated networks are people just like you and me, from the farmer, to the man in charge of the Northeast power grid, to the commercial bee keeper, to the person who assembles guitars.  It puts faces to the people who make and distribute things we see around us and the sources that power them. Pretty fascinating.

A link to the episodes on PBS.org is below.  Also available on Amazon streaming if you have Prime HERE. 

PBS.org links:

Episode 1:  The Food Machine

Episode 2:  Nation on the Move

Episode 3:  Electric Nation

Episode 4:  Made in the USA

The Little White Book

Last night we had the ward missionaries over for dinner.  (God bless my sweet husband for always being supportive and welcoming when they come over, even picking them up and driving them home.)  We are lucky to have a really great pair of young men serving in the ward right now, very spiritual, humble, and mature.

Somewhere between the pot roast and the salad, the subject of the rules the missionaries must abide by came up in the conversation.  It started with the music they are allowed to listen to on their missions and led to the little white book of rules that missionaries carry around in their shirt pockets, usually accompanied by a day-timer where they write down their appointments.

We have an elder who is from the Dominican Republic, still learning the language, who the ward has grown to really love.  In his broken English he said how glad he is for the rule book because, if he ever has a question about what he should or shouldn't be doing, all he has to do is take it out and find the answer.  He proceeded to say how much he loves being on his mission and how the rules keep him focused on the work he is supposed to be doing.

There is no doubt that missionary work is hard and comes with a lot of rejection.  But I was so touched at this elder's attitude and lack of discouragement.  He didn't see his rule book as a bunch of restrictions, but helpful guidelines to help him stay on the straight and narrow path while serving the Lord.

Being something of a "rule" person myself, both when I was a teacher and with Life, in general, I think there is a lot to be said for the code of goodness, morality, and compassion we should all live by.  I am far from a perfect person...FAR...but I have set certain standards for myself over the years, most of which have served me well.  Do I slip?  Absolutely?  Not on the big stuff, but plenty of times on the little things.  The things that are supposed to be easy, like not judging others and always being kind aren't as simple as they should be, are they?

It's a shame we can't all have a little white rule book to carry around to help us know what to do in certain situations, isn't it?  I think if I were write my own I would examine my flaws and work from there.  What would be in yours?